30 Under 30 Voices
“When strong leadership that is intersectional, thorough and wholesome is promoted, it allows an opportunity for people who are disadvantaged and marginalised to look at these leaders and say, “Well, that looks like someone whose life I can see is valid, and therefore is my life valid” ”
All about the 30 Under 30 Awards
Out For Australia’s 30 Under 30 Awards are now open for nominations. You may have noticed that we’re promoting across our social media accounts! What exactly are these awards though, and what are they for?
Once a year, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Out For Australia celebrates 30 ‘unsung heroes’ under the age of 30 who are making a difference for the LGBTQIA+ community, be it at a local level or across Australia. Since its inception in 2019, the 30 Under 30 Awards have shone a light on upcoming LGBTQIA+ leaders and role models who are making a difference, developing their careers and living with authenticity. . There are many incredible and inspiring people from all across Australia who deserve recognition, and the 30 Under 30 Awards is a chance for all of us to celebrate their achievements and raise awareness of their efforts. Finally, the 30 Under 30 Awards promotes leadership in the LGBTQIA+ community, and inspires queer professionals at every stage of their careers.
These awards go to young professionals and students who are:
1. Making tangible contribution/s to bettering the life of LGBTQIA+ people in Australia
2. Demonstrating success in their field, and
3. Living with authenticity, courage and resilience - demonstrating the qualities of a role model.
Thirty people will be named the 30 Under 30 Award Winners, with five of those winners being chosen for five major Category Awards:
Out for Change: Changemaker of the year
Out for the Next Generation: Student of the year
Out for Career Success: Young professional of the year
Out for Community: Community champion of the year
Out for Mentoring: Mentor of the year
Learn more about the awards by visiting the 30 Under 30 Awards page on our website.
What’s it like to be a 30 Under 30 Awards winner?
“Previously I might have second-guessed whether I’m the right or the best person to do the work, but with a 30 under 30 Award I feel much more confident in speaking out and pushing for change.” - Sophia Frentz (2020 Winner).
Becoming one of our 30 Under 30 winners is an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only do you get to become a part of an amazing community experience, but you also have the chance to celebrate your achievement and potential, and connect with fellow like-minded and passionate role models.
Sean Henschike won the award in 2019 and is a beacon as to why these awards are important. As they said, ‘I want to break down the barriers and ensure people use who they are as a strength, they walk around with a purpose and know that they can make change and however I can give the tools that have been given to me from other people and that really motivates me to show other people that your identity is your strength, not something that limits you’.
Andrew Pagonis(2019 Winner) finds winning the 30 Under 30 Award to be empowering and incredibly humbling to be recognised for the work they had put in bettering the lives of LGBTQIA+ people in Australia. For Bree Mountain, winning this award has increased their confidence in their activism and pushing for a change and being a part of the 30 under 30 Alumni has been an incredible opportunity to meet and connect with people achieving incredible things.
What’s life like after winning 30 Under 30?
Sophia Frentz (2020 Winner), who holds a PhD in Genetics, has been working on a few pieces about how gender and sex are defined and used in STEM, with collaborators around the globe. They are hopeful that in the coming year they will be able to publish some of their findings and suggestions on how to improve the way that medical research is done, and how a diverse range of bodies can be spoken about and studied inclusively in medical science.
Bree Mountain (2020 Winner), Co-founder of Bi+ Visibility, continues to pursue her passion to increase the bi+ representation within the LGBTQIA+ community. She is working on her Sydney-based events organisation BiConic, which provides safe, inclusive events for bisexual+ people while pursuing her Masters in Sexology with the long-term goal to work in private practice to support bisexual+ individuals.
Inspiring much? Do you have someone in mind for our 30 Under 30 Award?
How to submit a nomination?
Nominations for this year's 30 Under 30 have been open and We have already had an influx of extraordinary nominations. There's still some time left to nominate your inspiring 30 Under 30 candidates though!
You are more than welcome to nominate yourself, as it is important to be proud of all that you have accomplished. As Bree noted, “be brave, and do not let ‘imposter syndrome’ get the better of you! Recognise your contributions and be proud of what you have achieved.”
There is also the option to nominate other people, just in case you know some incredible people who may be modest about their own accomplishments. Don’t stress if you know multiple people who fit this category. You can always nominate multiple people!
If you, or someone you know, is perfect for these awards, make sure you nominate them now - nominations close Thursday 2 September!
The nomination process takes less than ten minutes. All you need to do is fill out a form! It takes less time than ordering takeout.
To be considered eligible for an Out for Australia 30 Under 30 Award, nominees must:
Openly identify as LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, trans, gender diverse, genderqueer, queer, intersex, asexual, agender, or of diverse gender identity and/or sexual orientation)
Be at least 18 years old when they are nominated, and under 30 years of age on the 21st October 2021
Not be a current Out for Australia volunteer (winners can be previous Out for Australia volunteers, but they must be recognised for work separate to their volunteering with Out for Australia)
Not be a current employee/volunteer/student placement at BCG
Not have won an Out for Australia 30 Under 30 Award in 2020 (provided they meet the other requirements; 2020 winners would next be eligible in 2022. They will be eligible if they won the award in 2019.)
Even though you may not be eligible for an award, you might know a lot of people who are. Make sure you think of everyone you know who is helping build the community. One of the categories may have leaped out to you, but you may be struggling to think of what category best suits you or your nominee. You can find out more about these five categories on our website. A nominee can be nominated for multiple categories, but you will need to submit a new nomination form for each category.
We can’t wait to hear from all the incredible people across Australia and how much work has been done in the last few years!.
Do you know a person under the age of 30 that's inspiring and leading the way in their workplace? Jump on our website and nominate them now!
Nominations close 02 September 2021.
Out For Australia has partnered with BCG for this event. Their values of diversity and making the world a better place is on display with their contribution to this event as we work together to promote strong leaders in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Join us at Out For Australia as we continue to promote the upcoming leaders of a new generation. More information about 30 Under 30, can be found on our website at 30 Under 30 — Out For Australia. If you have any more questions, you can always email 30under30@outforaustralia.org and someone will respond to you as soon as possible.
